Extended ASCII Characters in Windows, HTML, and Help Files

Those using ASCII and ASCII-based editors to write Windows-based text (even Message Boxes) and Help files have probably discovered that the Extended ASCII characters (numbers 127 to 255) print out differently on Windows® Files. That ® symbol, for example, is not even in the ASCII set, but you get it in this Help file by typing in ASCII character number 174 (The double left arrow[«]). If you want the double left arrow in the Help file, you have to type in the ASCII character number 171 which is normally the one-half (½). And so ad infinitum! These extended ASCII numbers are also used in HTML, so they may be used to customize your HTML web pages, too.

Actually, none of the extended ASCII figures appear in most Windows files according to the standard character set. This XASCII Help file shows you what each extended ASCII character number actually produces in a Help file and most other Windows files. These also are the characters used for character numbers when editing Web Pages in HTML.

The ASCII number is followed by the character that appears in .HLP files and other Windows files. Note that a few characters MAY appear different on your Web Browser than on the Help File, but this will give you an idea of what the program is like.

ASCII characters 127-144, and 147-159 are null in Windows and Help files, they produce a black area on the screen. Character 160 produces a space which can act as a hard space.
That hard space character "&#160;" is very helpful when spacing on web pages.